Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information that Sindh police again allegedly threatened a gang-rape survivor to immediately leave the apartment where she and her family have been temporarily staying in Karachi for their safety on 21 June 2007. The police threw their household possessions out of the house provided for them by the governor of Sindh after protests from civil society. Even though they are put in danger of being punished by the Jirga or the perpetrators, Sindh police have continued to harass her family to go back to their village.
UPDATED INFORMATION:
According to the updated information, for the past week, police officials of Garden Police Head Quarters have pressured the family of the victim, Miss Nasima Labano, to vacate their safe house in Karachi, Sindh Province immediately. Mr. Rana Pervez, Senior Superintendent of Police, Police Head Quarters, has allegedly ordered the police to vacate their flat.
On 21 June 2007, the police of the said quarters came with some people and started throwing the family’s household possessions out of the house. But due to the intervention of political activists and members of the Sindh Assembly, the police have stopped their action for time being.
The AHRC is deeply concerned that the victim’s life will be in great danger if she goes back to her village, due to the threats of the main perpetrators whom are still at large. It is also believed that she would be punished by the Jirga (an illegal private tribal court) on charge of causing defamation to the tribe even though she is a victim.
BRIEF REMINDER OF THE CASE:
On 27 January 2007, 16-year-old Miss Nasima Labano was raped by 11 men in Habib Labano village, Union Council Lagho, Ubaro Town, Ghotki District, Sindh province, Pakistan. No proper police investigation has been initiated into this case due to alleged pressure from one Minister of Sindh provincial government who is connected to the perpetrators. The police simply arrested five out of 11 persons for a simple inquiry based on the girl’s father’s complaint in order to calm the local people’s protest. The perpetrators remain to make severe threats to the victim and her family. (For details, see also: UA-039-2007)
When the local community and human rights organisations began protesting against the failed action of the police to arrest the alleged perpetrators, the governor of the Sindh province sent the young girl away to Karachi into a safe house. However, on 26 March 2007, after staying only one and a half months at the residence, the family was ordered by the provincial home ministry to vacate the house and return to their village. On the intervention of AHRC and other civil society organisations, including some political leaders, the family was allowed to remain in the safe house. The perpetrators continue to make threats to the victim’s family that once they return to their village, they will be killed. They have also arranged for Jirga (an illegal private tribal court) to punish the victim for defamation. This was duly informed to the government but no action has yet been taken. (For details, see also our updated appeal: UP-043-2007). Now, once again the government wants to evict the victim from the safe house despite the danger she faces.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please urgently write to the relevant authorities listed below and demand that the victim and her family be provided shelter in Karachi city and be given protection from the perpetrators. Please also urge them to conduct legal and disciplinary action against those responsible.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear__________,
PAKISTAN: Sindh police threatened gang rape survivor back to her village
Name of victim: Miss Nasima, aged 16, daughter of Mr. Hamzo Mohammad, the resident of Habib Labano village, Langho Union Council, Ghotki district, Sindh Province; temporarily staying in police residential quarters at Police Headquarters in Karachi, Sindh Province
Name of alleged perpetrators:
1. Mr. Abdul Sattar Labano, the main perpetrator at whose house victim was raped by 11 persons.
2. Mr. Mohammad Anwar Hussain Labano
3. Mr. Moor Zado
4. Mr. Abdul Jabbar
5. Mr. Munawar Hussian
6. Mr. Khadim Hussain Labano
7. Mr. Ali Hassan
8. Mr. Shah Baig
9. Mr. Shabeer Loung
(All the men above are the residents of Habib Labano village, Langho Union Council, Ghotki district, Sindh Province, Pakistan)
10. Another two men by Labano caste living in Habib Labano village
11. Mr. Rana Pervez, Senior Superintendent of Police, Police Head Quarters
Date of incident: 21 June 2007
Place of incident: The police residential quarters at Police Headquarters in Karachi, Sindh Province
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the attempt to forcibly evict 16-year-old gang rape victim, Miss Nasima Labano, and her family from the safe house which was provided to her in police residential quarters at Police Headquarters in Karachi City, Pakistan. This is the second attempt by the government to remove the victim. It is unacceptable that the provincial government and police would risk endangering the victim by returning her to her village where she faces severe threats from the perpetrators which remain at large.
According to the updated information I have received, for the past week, police officials of Garden Police Head Quarters have pressured the family of the victim to vacate immediately. It is believed that Mr. Rana Pervez, Senior Superintendent of Police, Police Head Quarters, has ordered the police to vacate their flat. I am appalled that on 21 June 2007, the police of the Garden Head Quarters came with some people and started throwing the family’s household possessions out of the house. But due to the intervention of political activists and members of the Sindh Assembly, the police have stopped his action for time being.
The dangers which the victim now faces are the result of the government’s inability to conduct proper and effective police investigations. The government has only been able to arrest 5 out of the 11 alleged perpetrators. Among them who are not arrested are the close men of the said provincial minister who is allegedly providing shelter to the alleged rapists. They are free to make threats to the victim and her family. Meanwhile, it has been also discovered that the alleged perpetrators have arranged the Jirga, which is illegal tribal court, to try the victim. I firmly believe that the victim’s life will be put in great danger if she is forced to go back to her village.
I am extremely concerned for the safety of this young girl. I therefore strongly urge you to take all possible measures to protect her from any threats of eviction. She should be protected against any further threats of eviction, and she should stay there until she is absolutely no longer at risk of any harm or danger. I also urge you to conduct investigation into this matter and disciplinary and legal action against those responsible who threatened the victim and threw away the household possessions. I further urge you to thoroughly investigate and punish the alleged rapists without delay. The Jirga is another prior concern.
I look forward to your prompt intervention in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
—————-
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTER TO:
1. General Pervez Musharraf
President
President’s Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 1422, 4768/ 920 1893 or 1835
E-mail: (please see – < http://www.presidentofpakistan.gov.pk/WTPresidentMessage.aspx)
2. Mr. Muhammad Wasi Zafar
Minister of Law, Justice and Human Rights
S Block Pakistan Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 920 2628
E-Mail: minister@molaw.gov.pk
3. Mr. Justice Sabih Uddin
Chief Justice of Sindh High Court
High Court Building
Saddar
Karachi
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92-21-9213220
Email: info@sindhhighcourt.gov.pk
4. Dr. Ishrat UL Ibad
Governor of Sindh province
Karachi
PAKISTAN
Tel: + 92 21 920 1201
5. Chief Secretary
Government of Sindh
Chief Secretariat,
Karachi, Sindh province,
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 21 921950
Fax: +92 21 9211946
Email: cs.sindh@sindh.gov.pk
6. Secretary
(Criminal Prosecution) SGA &CD Department
Government of Sindh
Sindh Secretariat,
Karachi, Sindh Province.
PAKISTAN
Email: secy.cpsd@sindh.gov.pk
7. Secretary of Local Government abd Katchi Abadis
New Secretariate,
Government of Sindh
Karachi,
Sindh province
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 21 921 1921
Fax: +92 21 9212977
E-mail: secy.lg@sindh.gov.pk
8. Dr. Faqir Hussain
Registrar
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Supreme Court Building
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92-51-9213770
E-mail: registrar@supremecourt.gov.pk
9. Ms. Yakin Erturk
Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women
Room 3-042
c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9615
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTN: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN)
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrchk.org)
